Living Area, Lance Gerber Studios

The homeowners of this condo sought our assistance when downsizing from a large family home on Howe Sound to a small urban condo in Lower Lonsdale, North Vancouver. They asked us to incorporate many of their precious antiques and art pieces into the new design. Our challenges here were twofold; first, how to deal with the unconventional curved floor plan with vast South facing windows that provide a 180 degree view of downtown Vancouver, and second, how to successfully merge an eclectic collection of antique pieces into a modern setting. We began by updating most of their artwork with new matting and framing. We created a gallery effect by grouping like artwork together and displaying larger pieces on the sections of wall between the windows, lighting them with black wall sconces for a graphic effect. We re-upholstered their antique seating with more contemporary fabrics choices - a gray flannel on their Victorian fainting couch and a fun orange chenille animal print on their Louis style chairs. We selected black as an accent colour for many of the accessories as well as the dining room wall to give the space a sophisticated modern edge. The new pieces that we added, including the sofa, coffee table and dining light fixture are mid century inspired, bridging the gap between old and new. White walls and understated wallpaper provide the perfect backdrop for the colourful mix of antique pieces. Interior Design by Lori Steeves, Simply Home Decorating. Photos by Tracey Ayton Photography

Mid-Century Remodel on Tabor Hill This sensitively sited house was designed by Robert Coolidge, a renowned architect and grandson of President Calvin Coolidge. The house features a symmetrical gable roof and beautiful floor to ceiling glass facing due south, smartly oriented for passive solar heating. Situated on a steep lot, the house is primarily a single story that steps down to a family room. This lower level opens to a New England exterior. Our goals for this project were to maintain the integrity of the original design while creating more modern spaces. Our design team worked to envision what Coolidge himself might have designed if he'd had access to modern materials and fixtures. With the aim of creating a signature space that ties together the living, dining, and kitchen areas, we designed a variation on the 1950's "floating kitchen." In this inviting assembly, the kitchen is located away from exterior walls, which allows views from the floor-to-ceiling glass to remain uninterrupted by cabinetry. We updated rooms throughout the house; installing modern features that pay homage to the fine, sleek lines of the original design. Finally, we opened the family room to a terrace featuring a fire pit. Since a hallmark of our design is the diminishment of the hard line between interior and exterior, we were especially pleased for the opportunity to update this classic work.

Nathan Lanham Photography

Technical Imagery Studios

Living Room. Photo by Jeff Freeman.

Architecture & Interior Design: David Heide Design Studio -- Photos: Susan Gilmore Photography

Troy Thies

Die am Übergang Wand / Decke versteckte Lichtlinie spendet, je nach Dimmeinstellung, Allgemein- oder Ambientelicht

A sense of craft, texture and color mark this living room. Charred cedar surrounds the blackened steel fireplace. Together they anchor the living room which otherwise is open to the views beyond.

The palette of gray slate flooring, museum white walls and black beams serve as a backdrop, to colorful furniture and art. Easily movable furniture was used in the den to facilitate the extension of the sleeper sofa.

Our goal was to create an elegant current space that fit naturally into the architecture, utilizing tailored furniture and subtle tones and textures. We wanted to make the space feel lighter, open, and spacious both for entertaining and daily life. The fireplace received a face lift with a bright white paint job and a black honed slab hearth. We thoughtfully incorporated durable fabrics and materials as our client's home life includes dogs and children.

Sea Arches is a stunning modern architectural masterpiece, perched atop an eleven-acre peninsular promontory rising 160 feet above the Pacific Ocean on northern California’s spectacular Mendocino coast. Surrounded by the ocean on 3 sides and presiding over unparalleled vistas of sea and surf, Sea Arches includes 2,000 feet of ocean frontage, as well as beaches that extend some 1,300 feet. This one-of-a-kind property also includes one of the famous Elk Sea Stacks, a grouping of remarkable ancient rock outcroppings that tower above the Pacific, and add a powerful and dramatic element to the coastal scenery. Integrated gracefully into its spectacular setting, Sea Arches is set back 500 feet from the Pacific Coast Hwy and is completely screened from public view by more than 400 Monterey cypress trees. Approached by a winding, tree-lined drive, the main house and guesthouse include over 4,200 square feet of modern living space with four bedrooms, two mezzanines, two mini-lofts, and five full bathrooms. All rooms are spacious and the hallways are extra-wide. A cantilevered, raised deck off the living-room mezzanine provides a stunningly close approach to the ocean. Walls of glass invite views of the enchanting scenery in every direction: north to the Elk Sea Stacks, south to Point Arena and its historic lighthouse, west beyond the property’s captive sea stack to the horizon, and east to lofty wooded mountains. All of these vistas are enjoyed from Sea Arches and from the property’s mile-long groomed trails that extend along the oceanfront bluff tops overlooking the beautiful beaches on the north and south side of the home. While completely private and secluded, Sea Arches is just a two-minute drive from the charming village of Elk offering quaint and cozy restaurants and inns. A scenic seventeen-mile coastal drive north will bring you to the picturesque and historic seaside village of Mendocino which attracts tourists from near and far. One can also find many world-class wineries in nearby Anderson Valley. All of this just a three-hour drive from San Francisco or if you choose to fly, Little River Airport, with its mile long runway, is only 16 miles north of Sea Arches. Truly a special and unique property, Sea Arches commands some of the most dramatic coastal views in the world, and offers superb design, construction, and high-end finishes throughout, along with unparalleled beauty, tranquility, and privacy. Property Highlights: • Idyllically situated on a one-of-a-kind eleven-acre oceanfront parcel • Dwelling is completely screened from public view by over 400 trees • Includes 2,000 feet of ocean frontage plus over 1,300 feet of beaches • Includes one of the famous Elk Sea Stacks connected to the property by an isthmus • Main house plus private guest house totaling over 4300 sq ft of superb living space • 4 bedrooms and 5 full bathrooms • Separate His and Hers master baths • Open floor plan featuring Single Level Living (with the exception of mezzanines and lofts) • Spacious common rooms with extra wide hallways • Ample opportunities throughout the home for displaying art • Radiant heated slate floors throughout • Soaring 18 foot high ceilings in main living room with walls of glass • Cantilevered viewing deck off the mezzanine for up close ocean views • Gourmet kitchen with top of the line stainless appliances, custom cabinetry and granite counter tops • Granite window sills throughout the home • Spacious guest house including a living room, wet bar, large bedroom, an office/second bedroom, two spacious baths, sleeping loft and two mini lofts • Spectacular ocean and sunset views from most every room in the house • Gracious winding driveway offering ample parking • Large 2 car-garage with workshop • Extensive low-maintenance landscaping offering a profusion of Spring and Summer blooms • Approx. 1 mile of groomed trails • Equipped with a generator • Copper roof • Anchored in bedrock by 42 reinforced concrete piers and framed with steel girders. 2 Fireplaces Deck Granite Countertops Guest House Patio Security System Storage Gardens